Harris Williams & Co. Ltd Advises Stirling Square Capital Partners on the Pending Sale of its Portfolio Company ESE World B.V. to RPC Group Plc

FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Harris Williams & Co. Ltd, a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide, exclusively advised Stirling Square Capital Partners (SSCP), a leading European mid-market private equity firm, on the pending sale of its portfolio company ESE World B.V. (ESE) to RPC Group Plc (RPC Group; LON:RPC). ESE is a leading European provider of temporary waste storage solutions. With the acquisition, RPC Group continues its successful acquisition activities in Europe. The pending transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017 and is being led by Jeffery Perkins, Lars Friemann, Florian Ripperger and Konstantin Molinari of Harris Williams & Co.'s Frankfurt office as well as Patrick McNulty and Brad Morrison of the firm's Industrials Group.

Jakob Förschner, a Partner at SSCP, added, "ESE represents a true success story in the waste storage solutions market, having been transformed into Europe's largest ‘pure-play' waste storage solutions provider and innovation leader in its market. We are proud to have accompanied ESE on this path and are absolutely convinced that RPC Group is the right partner to support ESE's growth in the future. Harris Williams & Co. has been an excellent partner throughout the entire transaction, supporting us to achieve an outcome that exceeded our expectations. The senior-level attention, high quality work, thoughtful advice and in-depth industry know-how were critical in making this a successful transaction."

Jeffery Perkins, a managing director at Harris Williams & Co., stated, "ESE is an innovation leader in its market and the only company that has successfully developed production techniques to produce containers using up to 100% recycled material. We were delighted to be able to advise SSCP and the management team on finding the right partner to continue ESE's success story. We are convinced that together with RPC Group, Björn Hedenström and his team at ESE are well positioned to continue their growth."

With over 80 million containers delivered, ESE is Europe's largest "pure play" temporary waste storage solutions provider with well-known regional and pan-European brands. The company services a broad customer base ranging from local municipalities to private waste service providers. ESE's manufacturing footprint comprises two facilities in Germany and France, and one R&D center in Germany, employing approximately 600 full time employees. For the year ending 31 December 2016, the company is expecting to achieve revenues in excess of €200 million whilst consuming circa 45kt of polymers. Björn Hedenström, Chief Executive Officer of ESE, will continue to lead the business as an independent business unit within RPC Group going forward.

SSCP is a private equity firm which invests across Europe in mid-market companies with enterprise values between €50 million and €500 million. SSCP manages three funds and a number of co-investment positions, with total committed capital in excess of €1 billion. The firm has invested in 19 portfolio companies since establishment in 2002, and with seven significant bolt-ons, this has involved 26 major acquisitions.

RPC Group is a leading international design and engineering company of plastic products for both packaging and non-packaging markets. The acquisition of ESE represents a strategic opportunity to enter into a high added value, polymer consuming segment in a stable and growing European market, with good management and well-established market positions supported by industry recognized branded products. RPC employs more than 20,000 people in over 31 countries worldwide.

Harris Williams & Co. (www.harriswilliams.com), a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC, is a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide. The firm has deep industry knowledge, global transaction expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Harris Williams & Co. provides sell-side and acquisition advisory, restructuring advisory, board advisory, private placements and capital markets advisory services.

Harris Williams & Co.'s Industrials Group has experience across a variety of sectors, including advanced manufacturing; aggregates, metals, and mining; building products; chemicals and specialty materials; industrial technology; and packaging. For more information on the firm's Industrials Group and other recent transactions, visit the Industrials Group's section of the Harris Williams & Co. website.

Investment banking services are provided by Harris Williams LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd, which is private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 5th Floor, 6 St. Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AE, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 7078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd conduct business.

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